Collapsible cellular carton



Oct. 7, 1952 K. T. BUTTERY 2,613,024

COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CARTON Original Filed Nov. 1, 1945 2 SHEETSF-SHEET 1 JNVENTOR. ffe/z/ieffi 23112707 'BYQZmQ ATTORNE).

Patented Oct. 7, 1952 COLL APSIBLE CELLULAR CARTON Kenneth T. Buttery, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan l Original application November 1, 1945, Serial No. 626,069. Divided and this application January 22, 1947, Serial No. 723,614

2 Claims. 01. 229-28) The invention relates to collapsible cellular cartons.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 626,069, filed November 1, 1945, now Patent No. 2,562,233. 1 Y

The main objects of the invention are:

First, to provide a cellular carton of the egg carton type which is very rigid when set up.

Second, =to provide a cellular carton in which the cover is easily engaged in closing the carton. is-very securely retained and at the same time maybe easily disengaged by manual manipulation. l

Objects'relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. Theinvention is defined in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: l i I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carton embodying my invention disclosed.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, eggs being indicated in the transversely aligned cells by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end perspective view showing the cover closure flap partially engaged or disengaged, illustrating the relation of one of the closure flap tongues to one of the combined transverse partition hinge members and keepers.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating further details of the structure.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton is formed.

I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in an egg carton adapted to receive a. dozen eggs. The carton is preferably formed of an integral blank as shown in Fig. 6 and comprises front wall I, rear wall 2, these walls constituting the side walls of the carton.

The bottom members 3 are hingedly secured to the bottom edges of the front and rear walls at 4 preferably by scoring. The bottom members are hingedly joined to the longitudinal partition members 5 along the score lines 6. The bottom members have transverse slots 1 and 8 therein. the slots 8 being the end slots. The outer edges of the slots 8 have inwardly projecting tongues ID. The bottom also has cross incisions I i intermediate the slots to provide cushioning elements.

The longitudinal partition members 5 are secured together in side by side relation, preferably adhesively, and each member is provided with alternating elongated holes [2 and flaps I3, the

flaps being alsoelongated and hingedly joined at M to their respective partition member. The flaps are somewhat smaller than the holes. The flaps and holes are-arranged so that the flap of one longitudinal partition member is aligned with the hole of the other when the partition members are secured together, as is shown in Fig. 2. The slot and flap construction above described is not claimed herein but constitutes the subject matter of the above referred to parent application.

The top members designatedgener-ally by the numeral iii are hingedly connected at their inner edges as indicated at IE to the upper edges of the longitudinal partition members 5' and they are hingedly connected at I! to the sealing strips l8. These sealing strips are joined in the blank by the fracturing line IS.

The top members 15 are slittedfand scored to provide transverse partitions 20 and end members 2| which are adapted to project through the slots 1 and 8 respectively in the bottom 3 when the carton is erected. The end members 2| have holes 22 therein receiving the tongues Hi, the tongues preventingthe end members being swun out at the ends of the carton andthereby releasing the contents of the end cells This. end wall structure above described constitutes thesubject matter of another application whichds a division of the above referred to parent application.

The sealing flaps l8 are secured in anupturned relation to the front and rear wall I and 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the upperedge of the sealing flap secured to the front'walll being preferably fiush with the upper edge of the front wall. This materially increases the rigidity of the front wall particularly at the, upper edge thereof. It is also desirable to increase the rigidity of the rear wall although theincreased rigidity of the front wall is more important.

The slits of the top members l5 are arranged so that the hinge members 23 are of triangular shape with their edges 24 facing inwardly. These hinge members constitute keepers with which the tongues 25 on the closure iiap 26 of the cover 21 may engage. The cover 21 is hingedly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall at 28. It will be noted that the closure tongues 25 are beveled at 29 and preferably have curved heel portions 30 which facilitates their engagement with. the hinge members 23 which, as stated, constitute keepers.

The closure member 26 is disposed on the inner side of the reinforced upper edge portion of the front wall and to close the same it is only necessary to press downwardly on the cover adjacent its front edge. The tongues 25 snap into engage- The reinforced upper edge of the front wall is the important feature of this disengagement as, it prevents the substantial spacing of the front wall under the disengaging stress. I haveindirelation to the corresponding end of the closurefiap to facilitate forcing said closure fiap inwardly and disengagement of the tongues thereof from beneath the hinge members, and facilitating opening of said cover after disengagement of said tongues from said hinge members, said front 3 wall and sealing, flap secured thereto fixedly retaining the hinge members against displacement while the closure flap is forced inwardly by a finger in said finger receiving opening and while opening the cover.

2. A cellular carton comprising front and rear walls; bottom members hingedly joined to the cated the engaging and disengaging movement in Figs. 3 and 4.

The top members are also cut to provide up wardly projecting supporting tongues 32 which support the center of thecover and further facilitatieitheopening as the covercannot spring in wardly. These cover supporting members coact with the other features in facilitating. the engagement and disengagement of the cover closure. I a

In cartons embodying my invention the carton is strong and, durable and is not likely to be broken or distorted in handl'ing.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a very practical embodiment-thereof. I have not attempted to illustrateor describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention asmay be desired. 4 Having thus described my invention, what I claim-as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is:

1.. In' a cellular carton, spaced walls, one of said w-alls constituting front Wall, a bottom member hingedly joinedto said walls, a top member hingedly connected to said walls and having a; sealingfiap integral therewith secured to the inner side. of thef'ront wall,the outer edge of the sealing flfapbeing. closely adjacent the upper edge o'f'the' front wall whereby the upper edge of the front wall is stiffened, the top member being slitted and scored-to provide a plurality of transverse partitionsandto provide hinge members therefor connected to said sealing flap, a hinged cover having" a closure flap on its front edge adapted to be disposed on the inner side of the reinforced upper edge portion of the fro'ntwall', said" closure flap having a plurality of tongues on its edge adapted to. engage beneath said hinge members when the cover is closed, the front wall and sealing flap" secured thereto having a finger o'p'e'ning adjacent one end thereof in opposed lower edges of the front and rear walls, longitudinal partition members hingedly joined to the inner edges of the bottom members and secured in side by side relation, top members hingedly joined 'to the upper edges of the longitudinal partition members and having sealing flaps integral therewith secured to the inner sides of the front andrearw-alls, the outer edge of the sealing flap secured to the front wall being closely adjaoent to the upper' edge-of the front wall whereby the upper portion of thefront wall is stiffened, said top members being slittedand scored to provide aplurality of transverse partitions andtriangular hinge connections therefor to said-longitudinal partition members and said sealing. flaps, the hinge connections for the transverse partitions to the sealing flapsecured to the front wall constituting keepers and having inwardly facing inclined edges, and a cover hingedly joined to the upper edge of the rear wall and having a. closure flap on its front edge adapted to be, disposed on the inner sideof the stiffened upper edge portion of the front wall,.said closure flaphaving a plurality of tongueson its. edge facing the inclined edges of said hinge members, the tongues having beveled tips facilitating their engagement with the hinge, members, and rounded heel portions further facilitating the engagement of the closure.

KENNETH T. BUTTERY;

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED, STATES PATENTS 

